Pneumatic action.



H. H. HOLTKAMP.

PNEUMATIC ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED D50. 3, 1909.

Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. HOLTKAMP, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC ACTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, HENRY H. HoL'rKAMP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lakewood, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Pneumatic Action, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to musical instruments, such as pipe organs, and the like, and its object is to provide a new and improved pneumatic action, arranged as a confiating device for the union, coupling, confluence or conjunction of a plurality of ducts con trolling the speaking apparatus of sounding or mechanical devices, or of independent ducts or other means directly or indirectly for the various functions found in a pneumatic action.

For the purpose mentioned, use is made of a selecting device which I prefer to call a con'flator, having a suspended double acting valve mechanism for vertical ports manipulating two, sources of exhaust, either direct from a manual key, pallet or a valve, or from a pneumatic, electro pneumatic or an auto-playing device, and exhausting independently the operating duct for either a primary or power pneumatic or other device, without one source of exhaust interfering with the other, and whether either source singly or both sources are operated simultaneously.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the pneumatic action; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the pneumatic action as applied to a pipe organ; Fig. A is a sectional side elevation through the wind chest and pipe. Fig. 5 is a similar view through the valve box. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the On and Off device which is controlled by a stop pallet.

The main or operating duct A, for power pneumatic T or other device, leads to oppositely-arranged ports B, 5, controlled by a double-acting valve O, O, and connected with branch ducts D, D, of which the branch duct D leads to an On and Ofi' device Y, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 3 and controlled by a key pallet R,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 3, 1909.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Serial No. 531,282.

while the other branch duct D leads to a duct A of a preceding conflator, that is, the duct A leads to ports B B controlled by a double-acting valve E, E, and the said ports B B connect with branch ducts D D of which the branch duct D leads to an On and Off device Y or other source of exhaust, while the branch duct D leads to a duct A forming part of another pre ceding conflator, having ports B, B controlled by a double-acting valve F, F, and connected with branch ducts D D of which the duct D leads to an On and Off device Y or other source of exhaust, while the duct, D leads to another source of exhaust. The double-acting valves O, O, E, E and F,- F are alike in construction, each being mounted to swing from the upper end of its stem as a fulcrum, the stem of each valve, as shown, being flexible and fastened at its upper end by a block G and a screw H to the wall of the corresponding duct D, D, D D or D D so that the double valve is suspended. The block G is preferably slotted, as indicated in Fig. 2, to permit con venient adjustment of the block to suit circumstances. The bodies of each double-acting valve are connected with each other by a spanner stem 1, to hold the valves spaced apart, so that when one valve is closed the other is opened and vice versa, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. The nuts I on the spanner stems I are preferably made of leather or other cushioning material, to form a flexible bearing for the valves when the latter are seated. Adjacent the ducts D, D and D are arranged diaphragm chambers J, J, J containing diaphragms K, K, K connected by stems L, L and L with the free ends of the valves O, E and F of the double-acting valves previously mentioned, the said diaphragm chambers and their diaphragms and stems forming parts of and being connected by connections O, O O with On and Off devices Y, which are controlled by stop pallets R as shown in Fig. 6, for actuating the double valves correspondingly. Each of the stems L, L, L is provided with a cushion M adapted to be seated against the outer wall of the diaphragm chamber, thus insuring a silent operation when striking the wall of the chamber at the time pressure is exerted in the diaphragm chamber.

The casing N of the action is made in vertical sections, fastened together and arranged as shown in Fig. 1, to permit convenient access to the parts.

It is understood that the spanner stem I permits a simultaneous closing or opening of the double-acting valve C, C, on the ports B, B, that is, at least one port leading to the duct A is open, thereby allowing an unimpeded connection and inflation of the pneumatic whenever both keys or other devices are released. It will also be noticed that by the arrangement described egress and interference from the branch duct closed at the time is prevented, whenever either source is exhausted by its respective device.

It is understood that as each double-acting valve 0, C, E, E or F, F is freely suspended, it is very sensitive and hence opens and closes on the slightest pressure. Thus when the several parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the ports B and B are open while the ports B and B are closed, that is, the pneumatic or other device connected with the duct A is exhausted by the action of the device connected with the branch duct D In a like manner, the pneumatic or other device connected with the duct A can be exhausted from the device connected with the duct D if the valve F shall have been opened and the valve F closed, so that the duct D is connected by way of the port B with the ducts A D whereby the valve E is opened and the valve E closed, so that the duct I) is connected by the port B with the ducts A, D and by way of the open valve G and port B with the duct A and the pneumatic connected therewith.

It is understood that by the use of the device an organ pipe V (Fig. 4:), can be made to speak from a selected source D, D D or D put on through the respective device J, J, J through the actuation of the device Y and its stop pallet R It is to be further understood that the devices Y and Y (Figs. 3 and 6) and the devices shown in Fig. at, represent old structures which are in general use, being merely shown for the purpose of illustrating the parts with which the present-invention is connected in order to properly operate. In the construction of the first-mentioned devices, the device Y includes a stop pallet R controlling the valve B through a connecting rod P and in turn controlled by the stop, its chamber S being as usual, supplied with constant wind pressure. In the device Y the construction is closely similar except that the control is through a connecting rod P, by a key from the manual instead of by means of a stop. In Fig. 4 the valve U which controls the part of the organ pipe V, is actuated by a pneumatic T and the chamber W is, as usual supplied with a constant wind pressure. Thus the organ pipe may be made to speak in various ways, and the different connections D, D D, D for instance, from a are enabled to be independently actuated X\"ll'l1()1ll3 danger of the wind getting from one connection into any other connection, on

account of the double valves supplied by the present invention. This is highly important, inasmuch as when one connection is actuated, the other connections, whose respective keys are not pressed down, are all subjected to wind pressure which would escape were it not prevented from doing so.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A selecting device of the character described provided with opposite ports, a duct leading to said opposite ports, branch ducts connected with the said ports, a suspended valve for closing one port while opening the other and vice versa, a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm therein, and a connection between the said diaphragm and the said valve, the said diaphragm having a cushion for engagement with a wall of the diaphragm chamber.

2. An organ provided with a primary, manuals and a selecting device intermediate the said primary and thesaid manuals, the selecting device having an operating duct connected with the said primary, the duct terminating in opposite ports, branch ducts into which open the said ports and connected with the manuals, suspended gravity valves for the said ports, a connection between the said valves, and means for vertically adjusting the said valves.

3. An organ provided with a primary, manuals and a selecting device comprising an operating duct connected with the said primary and terminating in a pair of opposite ports, a pair of branch ducts into which open the said ports, one of the branch ducts leading to a manual, a pair of connected valve members controlling the said ports, a second pair of opposite ports into which terminates the other branch duct, and a second pair of connected valve members for the said second pair of ports, and a second pair of branch ducts connected with the second pair of ports, one of the ducts of the second pair of ducts connecting with a manual and the other duct of the second pair terminating in a third. pair of opposite ports, a third pair of connected valve members for the said third pair of ports, a fourth pair of branch pipes leading from the said duct to manuals, the said selecting device having a diaphragm chamber opposite each pair of valve members, a diaphragm in each chamber, and a connection between each diaphragm and its respective pair of valves.

4. An organ having a primary, a manual,

and a selecting device having opposite ports and an operating duct connected at one end to the primary and opening at its opposite end into the said ports, branch ducts connected to the manual and into which the said ports open, and a double acting valve consisting of spaced flexible members depending against the ports and having connections between their lower free ends whereby one port will be open when the other port is closed, the upper portions of said flexible members having vertical slots, and fastening members extending through the slots whereby to secure the valve in adjusted position.

5. An organ having a primary, a manual, and a selecting device having opposite ports and an operating duct connected at one end to the primary and opening at its opposite end into the ports, branch ducts connected to the manual and into which the said ports open, a suspended valve for closing one port while opening the other and vice versa, a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm therein, and a connection between the said diaphragm and the valve, the said diaphragm having a cushion for engagement with a wall of the diaphragm chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. HOLTKAMP.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. BECKER, AUGUST BECKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). O." 

